Learning to Love Lentils

A cousin of the pea, lentils are Future 50 Food common in Asian and North African cuisines. They come in 4 variants - green, brown, red and specialty (usually beluga or puy). Most variants retain their shape when cooked (expect for red lentils, which break down slightly). Depending on which type of lentil you buy, they can take anywhere from 8 to 25 minutes to cook.

You can use Knorr seasonings to boost the flavour of your lentils, just make sure you add them at the end so as not to prolong the cooking time. To lift the flavour even further, try adding some aromatic herbs and spices like rosemary, thyme, bay leave or garlic salt while they simmer.

If you hate waiting around for your food, lentils also come pre-cooked in a can. All you have to do is heat them through, add whatever spices you like, and they’re ready to eat! Just remember to drain and rinse them beforehand to remove brine and residue.